Misi gwa so'o (Chimpanzee Mask)

20th century

Chimpanzees are rarely featured in African art because their resemblance to humans can be unsettling. An exception are the misi gwa so'o masks of the Hemba. The exaggerated features of the half-human, half-chimpanzee mask contrast greatly with the noble and reserved ancestral figures of the classic Hemba style. The wide, open mouth and raised eyebrows were not meant to be comical, but rather fearsome and terrifying. Misi gwa so'o masks were used at funerals to symbolize the presence of death.